Lesson Two: The Shuffle
The second primary feature of clogging, after the downbeats to each leg, is a shuffle on the upbeat. That's another lesson, and can't be taught in 20 seconds, but I will try explain the shuffle.
Start with a slow walking beat, kicking or scuffing your heel before each step.
Figure that out - kick-step kick-step kick-step kick-step
Think of it as an up-down beat, with each kick being "up" and each step being "down". The "up" kick comes between the walking "down" beats.
Now change your cadence so that step-kick step-kick is 1-2-3-4.
Figure that out - step kick-step kick-step kick-step kick is 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4.
The steps fall on 1 and 3, the downbeats.
The kicks fall on 2 and 4. These are the upbeats. Down up down up down up...
Figure that out.
The kick follows on the opposite foot from the step, the step follows on the same foot as the kick.
Scuffing with your heel between downbeats is how a simple shuffle starts. The second beat of the shuffle is a quick down beat with your toe, before your weight goes onto the foot.
The basic rhythm of the shuffle is dadadum dadadum dadadum
The dadadum rhythm evolves from a kick-step rhythm.
Really good cloggers use the toe for both beats of the shuffle.
Long repetition of the dadadum rhythm is actually a clogging step, called the "Running Step". The Running Step works perfectly in fast-moving square dancings.